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Maryam Shah
ISLAMABAD, Oct 30 (APP):A Bykea rider’s dangerous lane change on Srinagar Highway near Sectors G-11 and G-10 around 12 noon on Wednesday caused a three-car crash, traffic disruption and serious vehicle damage, officials said. Police said the motorcyclist, who changed lanes without using an indicator ,a violation of Pakistan’s National Highways Safety Ordinance (NHSO) 2000 escaped from the scene after the accident.
Traffic Sergeant Hafiz Nizam, who was present at the spot and saw the accident happen, told APP that the rider suddenly moved from the fast lane to the left lane and came right in front of a car. “The car driver panicked while trying to avoid the biker and swerved, which caused the vehicles behind to crash into each other,” he said. “This careless move put several lives in danger,but thank God no one is hurt .”
The officer said police were already in the area investigating another accident that took place an hour earlier, in which a child lost his life after a bike-car collision and was shifted to PIMS. “While we were making a sketch of that accident, this new incident happened right in front of us,” he added.
A passerby who saw the accident told APP that people are tired of such behavior by ride-hailing bikers.
“These Bykea riders act like there are no rules. They drive in wrong lanes, take sudden turns, speed, and sometimes even go against the traffic. Every day they put others in danger,” he said. Another commuter stuck in the traffic jam added, “Their rush to save a few minutes causes others big losses including money, injuries, even deaths.”
The same witness said that some pedestrians ran after the fleeing biker and managed to stop him a short distance away. “The public has to help because police cannot chase every rule breaker,” he said.
Sergeant Nizam said the law is very clear about such violations. “Changing lanes without indication, putting others in danger, and running away from an accident are crimes,” he said, quoting NHSO 2000 and Section 279 of the Pakistan Penal Code related to dangerous driving.
He said public concerns are true and worrying. Pakistan loses nearly more than 25,000 people in road accidents every year about 2.2% of all deaths in the country. Numbers from Punjab show that almost 72% of road accidents involve motorcycles. Islamabad alone reported 201 accidents in 2021 despite being a smaller city.
Experts say motorcyclists in Pakistan are almost five times more likely to die in crashes than car passengers, mainly due to risky riding behaviors like the one seen today.
Traffic remained slow on Srinagar Highway for some time as damaged cars were removed and police completed the investigation. Citizens demanded tighter checks and strong action to stop what they called a “fast-growing danger” on Islamabad’s roads.
Authorities have urged all riders and drivers to follow traffic rules, keep safe distances, and use indicators while changing lanes, reminding that one careless move on the road can cost many innocent lives.